Kelardasht Rug

Kelardasht rugs originate from Kelardasht, located in northern Iran and surrounded by the Alborz Mountains, a district in the Province of Zanjan which literally means “dear wife”. It is here that the nomadic people in this region practice the art of traditional rug weaving. For over 3000 years traditional rug weaving has supplied them with warm floor coverings as well as a source of income. Women in the tribe have been the traditional rug weavers, passing along their knowledge and skills to their daughters. However, the men do join in as well and very often weaving is a family affair. Living in remote regions far away from modern conveniences and technology, they are totally self-sufficient. They make their own looms for traditional rug weaving, which are placed horizontally on the ground and are easily dismantled for transport as they migrate from place to place. Although weavers in Kelardasht use both Persian and Turkish knots, they use the Persian asymmetrical knot much more frequently when weaving a traditional rug because it offers more precision.